A Good Life

I am determined to get as much as possible out of life. It's tough though- lots of negativity, lots of bad news (and I continue to watch and read the bad news because I THINK possibly, a good life includes awareness of my world? MAYBE?)...anyways a "Good Life" list ensues to remind me, and get you to wonder about what makes...

My list is fairly simple actually- not short simple, but obtainable, and it's amazing how tiny frivolous things can create optimal happiness for me.

 SO here we go- in no particular order other than how it comes to me at this point (and I warn you that I was JUST on the Kate Spade website). My List:

Pets. Holy cow can a wiggly dog greeting you at the door when you come home make a day brighter. While some of my fondest memories as a child include Pandy, the family cat, and how she would curl up behind my knees and fall asleep with me. And most powerfully, how my lovely girl Pepsi, my radiant buckskin, can calm all nerves and wash away all the bad with simply being. No amount of money can create this happiness, and no words can explain it.

Kate Spade. Seriously, how can you beat colour and ruffles and bows like this? http://www.katespade.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Kate-Site/default/Home-ShopHome
If you're ever stumped for a gift to give me, and want to spend lots of money...merci!

Limes. First of all their colour is amazing. Plus they disinfect, and go great in just about any meal as a salt substitution! Ya! WHO KNEW!?!? Seriously, try it...on beef, in spaghetti, on vegetables, in wraps, as a dressing on salads...limes limes limes.

Decor Pad

How about this- the movie, A Good Year, with Russel Crowe. Not much for a story line, but the setting of which the movie takes place- as in South France....TO DIE FOR. I am instantly happy watching it and giddy for the stupid love story. Simple goofy movies make life easier than intense dark ones;)

Good life is made OF COURSE, with the help of good friends and close family. My ma, my pa, my sister and a handful of important girlfriends and family friends makes everything better. No use going it alone.

Health. Duh. The most valued and the most important I say...without it...*pouf* Take your vitamins, eat your fruits and veggies, try and do physical activities and stretch:) Massages, hot baths and facials and anything that relaxes and de-stresses are important too. Never overlook the damage that stress can cause to your health. Invest in one of these....whatever the style, whatever the feature, get some oils, some bubbles, a couple candles and let go:)

Decor Pad

Books. Good ones. Not an E-Book, though I encourage learning and reading, but for me, a good life includes a good book (a lot of good books). I love how a well read, well used, well loved book shows a story outside of what is written...the creases, the folds, the marked pages. Love books. Easy way to decorate a room too.

65 Ways to Decorate with Books in Your Home, 1956, photographer unknown

Back to health...I mentioned some things....
Massages- GOOD
Fresh face, radiant skin- GOOD
Walking- GOOD
Essential Oils- GOOD mmmmm
Peace and quiet- GOOD (sometimes)

Moving on....
Travel. I so wish to experience my world. Europe specifically.

Coffee dates. I don't even like coffee all that much. I certainly don't rely on it. But the ritual of a hot cup of coffee, or in my case, tea with good company. AAAAHHhhhhh

http://jasminlovescoffee.blogspot.com/

Dinner parties. At home, at someone else's home, at a restaurant....all good. Planning the party is good, eating the food is good, the company= GOOD.

Lazy days in the sun (the WARM sun). Nothing to explain here.

Big trees you can climb. I'm sort of over my tree climbing days, but I wish every child the joy of climbing a big perfect tree. I had a giant laurel leaf willow. One solid trunk with a big round canopy. No one could see me, no one could get me. Just the sound of the breeze in the leaves and the spots of sunshine warming my skin.

Turquoise. The stone= best jewellery ever, and jewellery is good.

Stella and Dot

Blogs. If not my my own, then to creep through endless amounts of design blogs. I love design blogs.

Stationary. Yeah, you hear me. I LOVE STATIONARY. I LOVE Notables, in Edmonton Alberta- a stationary store. I could spend thousands of dollars there if I had it. I love cards, I love writing in journals or notebooks and on post its. I use photo albums and boxes for my printed photos rather than store electronically. I love the perfect pen, I enjoy hand writing and practicing calligraphy. Pencils are great. I love to draw and doodle on the perfect piece of paper. Yeah- stationary.

Brings me to art (and to some extent craft) I enjoy painting, drawing, sketching, colouring, cutting, wrapping. I like to read about artists, read about art and it's history, I like to look at art and interpret art and discuss art. Art as a medium of paintings and drawings etc., is good.

Christmas. A holiday this big, once a year that includes sparkles and snow and glitter and colour, which makes everyone happy and brings everyone together to revel in all things good, IS good:)

The feeling you get when you cook or bake or prepare something that is most obviously delicious= Good.

Oceans.
Wheat fields.
Canola feilds.
Thunder storms at night while you sleep.
Cards in the mail...NOT bills.
Giving and getting a smile.
The smell of autum.
Wood burning fire.
Knitted mittens, booties, scarves, toques, sweaters- you get it.

A clean home. I believe in crazy cleaning right before leaving on a vacation. Coming home to a clean home after a long trip, is SO good.

And while I could go on, I shall not. I will end with this...

Learning. I will continue to learn of what makes me a good life, of what makes up my history, of what makes up my world. I want to learn more about me, more about you, more about whatever there is to know. Learning is good, and it comes in handy when par-taking in good conversation with good company at a dinner party or during a coffee date:)

*Joa Likes*